Wall and closure support



May 2 1944- P. zALKlND WALL AND CLOSURE SUPPORT Filed Dec. 31,

INVENTOR. find ATTORNEYS Patented May 2, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFCE WALL AND CLOSURE SUPPRT Philip zalkina, New York, N. Y.

Application December 31, 1938, Serial No. 248,820

1 Claim. (Cl. 229-37) This invention relates to joining means particularly adapted for use with collapsible or folding containers made of sheet material and especially adapted to produce a reinforced end or edge construction for the walls of such containers.

It is of especial importance in collapsible casings and filing drawers, cabinets and similar devices comprising corrugated board, cardboard or any type of fibrous material as well as any other type of foldable sheet material. And it may be used to reinforce edges of sheet material whether such sheets are used in connection with containers or otherwise.

This invention may serve also in the formation of reinforced and tight closure means in containers of the class described as well as for reinforcement at open portions.

In the use of le casings made of foldable sheet material and intended to contain retractable loaded drawers and which are to be set up in stacks, it is essential that the casings under load maintain predetermined dimensions `and shape both at their closed and open ends. Thus, le cases constructed with front reinforcements as described in my U. S. Patent No. 2,118,011, filed May 17, 1938, with the inset back reinforcement as described in my pending U. S. application Serial No. 61,858, filed February 1, 1936, and with other types of vertical reinforcements described in my U. S. application Serial No. 693,841, led October 16, 1933, and in my U. S. application Ser. No. 45,714, iiled October 19, 1933, have come into extensive use.

While each of the constructions above mentioned may advantageously be used in connection with file oasings and while they have each fulnlled their intended function embodying a necessary advance in the art, it is possible to form end o-r edge reinforcing means for the wall of file casings in various different ways. The alternative methods thus described in my prior applications and in theY present one may each have advantages peculiar to themselves. The particular advantage of the construction which comprises the present application and the par-- ticular benefits of the use thereof will hereinafter be pointed out.

In the construction here set forth, I prefer to make use of the joint arrangement described in my pending application Serial No. 45,712. I prefer to use an arrangement of that type to make a reinforced joint between an end wall or Closure member and the 'adjacent side wall, said joint being, when arranged on a side wall, adapted to resist vertical compressive forces. This capacity for resisting compressive forces will, of course, be useful in the formation of rear end closures for containers oi the various types described in my applications above mentioned.

Objects of my invention, therefore, are to provide in containers of various kinds an edge reinforcement comprising sheet material.

Further objects of my invention are to provide, for containers, end closure means associated with edge reinforcement for an adjacent wall. And still further objects are to provide in connection with containers of various kinds an end closure means integral or integrated with an vadjacent wall, the joint between such end closure means and the adjacent wall providing a strong reinforcement thereat.

Further objects of this invention will in part be apparent and in part be pointed out in the following descriptionand drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a casing of the general type described in my patent issued May 17, 1938, Serial No. 2,118,011 with the rear end of the top wall partially out away in order to show the construction of the back wall thereof.

Figure 2 corresponds to Figure 1 and is a fragmentary view in perspective of the cut vaway portion of Figure l.

' Figure 3 corresponds to Figure 2 showing the same view in perspective with the back wall flaps partially opened.

Figure 4. corresponds to Figures l and 3 showing in perspective a View of the casing with the top rear wall partially cut away and showing the back wall flaps completely opened.

Figure 5 is a View in perspective of the casing of Figures 1 and fi in collapsed condition.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional View taken along the line 8 6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 7*? of Figure 6.

Figure 8 corresponds to portion 8 of Figure 6 showing in greater detail a cross-sectional view of the joint between the back wall flap and a side wall iiap.

Figure 9 corresponds to Figure 8 showing the position of the `back wall flap and side wall of Figure 8 when arranged for collapse of the casing.

Figure l@ corresponds to Figure 8 showing an alternative method of securement and formation of the joint.

Figure 11 is a view showing the arrangement of the lback wall flap and side wall of Figure 10 when arranged for collapse.

Figure 12 is a modified and improved form of the nap attachment shown in Figure 15.

Figure 13 corresponds to Figure 8 showing a modified method of securement of the joint between the back wall ap and side Wall.

Figure 14 illustrates the arrangement of the back wall iiap and side wall of Figure 13 when arranged for collapse.

Figure 15 corresponds to Figure 8 showing an alternative method of securement of the joint between the side wall and the back wall flap.

Referring now more specically to Figures l and 2., I have here shown a container having a top wall |0| and bottom wall |02, and side walls |03 and |04, and an open front end |05. This container may be of the general type described in my Patent No. 2,118,011, issued May 17, 193:8, or of the type shown in my application Serial No. 693,841 or it may have any other form suitable for use as a file casing. Preferably this container is to be collapsible so that it may be shipped in knocked down condition and it should be so arranged that it may be easily erected by the consumer and so that it may also resistJ compressive, disruptive and other loads. For this purpose, I have, in my applications hereinbefore mentioned, devised various types of front end reinforcements for use in connection with the open front end of the container. Such reinforcements are indicated at |00, |00 of Figure 1 as to the vertical reinforcements; members |01, |01 form the horizontal reinforcements of the container.

The top wall |0| of the container of Figures l and 2 has been partially cut away in order to reveal the relationship between the side walls |00 and back wall ap |08.

The joint |09 connecting the side wall |04 and the back Wall flap |08 comprises, as seen particularly in Figure 8, a score or bend line ||0 in the side wall |04 so that a panel IH may be bent back thereon. The panel is then bent up at ||2 tofonn the auxiliary panel H3, said auxiliary panel being secured to the panel by adhesive H4. The panel H3 does not extend the complete distance from the bend line H2 to the score line ||0 and is secured to the nrst mentioned panel I only up to the bend line H5. The back wall iiap |08 extends from the bend line 5. It will now be seen (Figures 8 and 9) that when it is necessary to collapse the container, the back wall ap |08 is beni; on the score line ||5 until it lies parallel to the panel iii and then the panel Il and the back wall flap |08 are turned on the score line ||0 so that the back wall flap, the reinforcement formed by the adjacent panels and |13 and the securing means lill are outside the casing as seen in Figures 4 and 9 in which case the casing may then be collapsed in the manner shown in connection with Figure 5.

As seen in Figure 6, when the casing is set up the back wall aps |08 extending from the side walls |04 and |03 may rst be folded in to form the end reinforcement |00. The top wall flap ||6 and the bottom wall ap ||'l (Figure '7) may then be folded so that they meet in the space between the two vertical reinforcements |09, |00 on the back end of either side wall. Tape H8 (Figures l, 6 and '7) may be applied adhesively or otherwise at the meeting point 9 (Figure 7) between the top and bottom wall flaps in order to secure the closure.

As will be hereinafter described, various other securing means for the closure may be used.

It will now be obvious particularly with reference to Figures 7, 8 and 9 that the arrangement of the bend lines, particularly bend line H5, is such that the elasticity of the paper or corrugated board or other material of which the casing is constructed is such as to tend to move the back wall flap |08 in the direction indicated by the arrow ||9a (Figure 2) since the paper, corrugated board or other material tends to resume its original unbent position. By reason of this fact, the placement of the top and bottom wall naps as shown, particularly in Figure 6, in the indented or inset spaces formed by the reinforcement joints |00 when the back wall flaps |08, |08 are folded in and the securement of such top and bottom wall flaps by, for instance, the tape ||8 tends to produce a tight secure dustproof closure.

As is also seen in connection, particularly, with Figures 2, 8 and 9, the side walls at the rear end of the container when the container is erected are so reinforced as to provide vertical reinforcements thereat, the joint |00 formed of the side Wall |04, the vertical panel and vertical panel H3, as well as the adhesive ||4 producing at least a three ply reinforced condition at the rear edge of the side wall. In this way, the back of the container is enabled to support a much greater load than any which it might have supported had its rear end been not so reinforced. At the same time reinforcement is obtained by the use of the material of which the container is formed without the use of any additional or auxiliary strengthening material, the only requisite being a binding means to secure the parts and i3 together. No complicated manipulation is required. The user need merely set up the container of Figure 5 using any reinforcement which may be provided at the front end to produce the form shown in Figure 4, rotate the rear flaps |08 about the bend line 0, as shown in Figure 3, turn in the top and bottom aps to the position shown in Figures 2 and 6, and then apply the adhesive tape I8 or other securing means to produce the completely erected container of Fig. 1.

It should be noted that the tape ||8 is subjected to no disruptive or compressive or stretching load of any kind except that produced by the tendency of the flaps H6 and to move outwardly. Any load directed against the top wall |0| is, as to the rear end thereof, transmitted to the vertical reinforcements |00, |09 and is transmitted therethrough to the bottom wall |02. None of the forces is transmitted radially from the reinforcement |09 so that the top and bottom flaps ||6 and and the tape ||8 need merely be strong enough to complete the closure and not to support any weight. Thus, the top and bottom naps may be held in by friction alone.

It will thus be clear that when a plurality of casings of the type shown in Figure l are stacked one on top of the other, the load on the rear end of the casings is transmitted through the vertical members |09 to the bottom wall |02 of the casing, from which it is transmitted to the top wall |0| of the casing below, and again through the subjacent verticals |00, the entire load being taken through the column formed by the adjacent vertical reinforcements |09 of the stack. While I have here shown the reinforcement |00 arranged as a vertical reinforcement for the back end of the casing associated with the closure means or back wall thereof, it is clear that such a reinforcement may be used just as effectively at the front end of the casing or at the top or bottom openings of the container all in a manner to be hereinafter described.

In the operation of applying the adhesive ||4 between the panels ||3 and II I, it is essential that the adhesive should not extend beyond the fold line defining the flap |08. In order to insure that the adhesive does not spread out to unite a portion of the iiap |08 with its associated side wall, the area into which such adhesive may spread may be Coated with a non-absorbent material; for instance, an ink or other adhesive resisting stripe may be printed or applied thereon.

Ordinary closure flaps may be so scored and arranged that when desired, they may be folded up to form the reinforcement |09 with a short associated ledge (instead of the flap |08) to support an additional closure member.

The reinforcement |09 may be supplemented and strengthened in a manner shown in Figures l0 and 11 by the use of metallic clip or channel I 20 which may be mounted over the fold line I|2 in a manner to engage the panels |I| and I|3 serving to clip or bind them together in the same manner as the adhesive |I4 (in connection with Figures 8 and 9); and serving at the same time to provide additional strength for the reinforcement |09, turning such vertical reinforcement into virtually a composite laminated metal and fibre structure comprising two laminations of metal and three of fibrous material.

It will be clear from a study of Figures 10 and l1 and a comparison thereof with Figures 8 and 9 that the construction and use of the reinforcement even with the metallic channel |20 clipped over it is similar to that where adhesive is used for binding together the panels of the reinforcement or joint and that such metallic channel |20 will not interfere in any way with the collapsibility of the container. It is, of course, clear` that bracing means or binding means of any suitable type which will operate in the same manner as metallic channel |20 may be used, that the channel need not necessarily be metallic and that it need not necessarily be a strong member unless greater reinforcing strength is required than that offered by the three laminations of folded material at the joint.

As shown in Figures 13 and 14, wire stitching |2I may be used in place of either the adhesive I|4 or the metallic channel |20 or even in combination therewith to bind the panels I I and I I3 of the joint or reinforcement |00 together and any other suitable means or material may be used to accomplish this function.

It will be clear also that the back wall flap |00 and the side wall I 04 of Figures 8, 10 or 13 need not necessarily consist of a single integral member or be formed from the integral blank. Nor need they be of identical material. Where made necessary by the length or formation of the blank or the material from which the blank is formed or where it is thought desirable in manufacture, the back wall flap |08 may be originally a separate member and thereafter joined to the side wall |04, the line at which the edges of the side wall |04, and the back wall flap |08 are united being along the line I I2.

In other words, instead of having a bend line or score at the line I2 as shown in Figures 8,

Cil

10 and 13, I may in the practice of my invention have a complete break between the small panels ||I and IIS along the line I| 2, since the adhesive I I4 or the metallic channel |20 or the stitching |2I or other suitable mean will be suicient to bind the back wall flap |08 and side wall |04 together to form the joint |00.

In addition, in a suitable case the joint itself need not consist of laminations or arrangements of the fibrous material only, nor need it consist of continuous portions of fibrous material. Thus, as shown in Figure l5, the side wall |04 may have mounted at the vertical edge thereof at |22 an S shaped metal channel |23, one portion of which engages the side wall |04 and is clinched over the said side wall, as seen in Figure 15, the other portion of which |24 is clinched over and engages the back wall flap |00, a bend line |25 being provided adjacent the edge of the portion I 24 of the metal and being so arranged that in the set-up condition of the container the relationship between the flap |08, the main reinforcement |22 (Figure 15) and the side wal] |04 will be exactly the same as that for Figure 8. During the collapse of the container, the back wall nap |08 may be turned on its bend line |25 so that it extends beyond the edge of the side wall |04 in a plane parallel thereto; and when the container is erected, the back wall flap |08 may be bent at right angles to the side wall |04, In this way it is not necessary to construct the back wall flap and the side wall of a single integral blank. There is thus produced a double metallic reinforcement and the metal exposed in the erected condition provides a stronger surface condition and may serve for improved appearance.

Where desired for further collapsibility, the side wall, S channel and nap of Figure 15 may be compressed to a single thickness as seen in Figure l2, thus avoiding any interlying bulk between adjacent walls while maintaining the same reinforced condition.

While I have here shown various arrangements of the vertical reinforcement |09 and various means including adhesive, metal clamp or channel, and wire stitching for binding together the portions of the reinforcement |00, it will be clear that any other suitable means for binding together the portions of said reinforcement may be used within the spirit of my invention.

Many other Variations of my invention are possible. I therefore prefer to be limited not by the specic disclosures herein but only by the appended claim.

I claim:

In a container comprising walls, a panel rotatably connected at the free end of one 0f said walls, a second panel secured to said rst mentioned panel and having a common terminal edge therewith along the opposite end of said first panel, and an extension hingedly connected to said latter panel at the end opposite the said common edge thereof, said members forming a reinforced closure element when said first mentioned panel is rotated into the container; said panels having a channel mounted thereover at their common boundary.

PHILIP ZALKIND. 

